Device for opening cans



Oct. 31, 1961 c. A. YOUNG DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1958 INVENTOR.

F'III t! IHH BY you ii? mmiv Oct. 31, 1961 c. A. YOUNG DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1958 Oct. 31, 1961 c. A. YOUNG DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS 5,Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 9, 195a INVENTOR.

Oct. 31, 1961 c. A. YOUNG 3,006,303

DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS Filed April 9, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Oct. 31, 1961 c. A. YOUNG DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 9, 1958 m 7 i 2 w United States Patent 3,006,303 DEVICE FOR OPENING CANS Claude A. Young, 126 N. Kensington St., La Grange, Ill. Fiied Apr. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,383 7 Claims. (Cl. 113-1) My invention relatm to a device for opening cans, and more particularly, to a device for opening metal cans without cutting or tearing the metal in any way.

The well-known can in which many modern foods are packaged provides a convenient and inexpensive way of storing and preserving foods until used, but conventional devices and methods for opening cans require that one end of the can, or one side of the can, be severed from the rest of the container by some form of cutting or tearing blade or tool, Whether fixed or rotating.

It has long been recognized that metal fragments are formed during the cutting process and drop into the food, something that, from a medical standpoint, should not be tolerated, but heretofore the practice has been only to try to reduce metal fragments by improving the cutting action. For instance, the Can Manufacturers Institute in its Revised Can Opener and Can Tapper Evaluation Program, issued August 20, 1956, sets forth testing standards for evaluating can openers, which permit approval even though, for instance, in the case of the size 303 can, as many as four hundred and ninety-nine metal particles are formed during the can-opening process.

Conventional can openers are also objectionable from the standpoint that the severing blade comes into contact with the good, thus greatly facilitating contamination. Furthermore, the portion of the can that is detached, for instance, the can end on the familiar cylindrical can, usually drops into the food when the severing process is completed, unless a magnet or some other type of holding device is provided for holding onto the can end.

My invention is a distinctly difierent approach to the problem as it contemplates separating the can closure from the can body by undoing what the can manufacturer and/ or packer did to seal the food or drink within the can. Most cans are made up of a tubular metal body and two closure portions, which may be disc-like in shape in the cans of the type in which vegetables and fruits or the like are packaged, or they may be somewhat elongated in shape in the case of containers for sardines and the like. The can elements are secured together by placing the rim of a can end and the rim of a can body together (at the end thereof to which the can closure is secured) and bending them over against the outside surface of the can body; this, together with an appropriate seal interposed between the rims, provides a complete packaging seal.

My invention contemplatm the opening of the can by separating the rim of the can closure from the rim ofthe can body, that is, by undoing the assembly process.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a can opener which completely eliminates the formationof those metal fragments that may fall into the can during opening of the can.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a can opener that opens the can in such a manner that the lid is prevented from falling into the can, Without using a magnet or other type holder.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a can opener that is economical of manufacture, convenient in use, and adapted for application to cans of all sizes.

Further objects, uses and advantages will become ap- 3,006,303 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 parent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view, partially in elevation, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, showing a familiar form of can applied thereto for opening (the can being shown in phantom);

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2'-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 (see sheet 3) is a diagrammatic perspective view of a portion of the can opener handle shown in FIGURE 1 together with associated structures;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view along line 77 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7a is a fragmental plan view illustrating how the illustrated rotator device engages the can to rotate same;

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view approximately along line 8-8 of FIGURE 3 generally illustrating the initial positioning of the can opening elements comprising my invention;

FIGURES 9 and 10 are views similar to that of FIG- URE 8, but illustrating the manner in which my can opening elements function;

FIGURE 9a is an elevational view of the wedge and hammer elements taken along line 9a9a ojf FIG- URE 9;

FIGURES 11, 11a and 12 are perspective views illustrating one embodiment of each of three of the important components of my invention;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmental perspective view of an operating shaft for actuating the specific elements shown in FIGURES 11 and 12, parts being broken away to permit illustration of the can rotator actuating device;

FIGURE 14 an exploded perspective view of the housing structure fomiing a part of the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view of a spring element employed in the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 16 is a fragmental perspective view illustrating a modification of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 16a is a fragmental perspective view of the operating shaft for the embodiment of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 17 is a diagrammatic plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is an elevational view of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 19 is a fragmental top plan view of the right hand side of the structure shown in FIGURE 18;

FIGURE 20 is a perspective view illustrating a can and its closure that have separated in accordance with my invention, and how they are formed for further use as a resealable container; and

FIGURE 21 is a cross-sectional view through one end of the can when the closure has been reapplied thereto.

General description closure 28 placed together and bent over against the outer surface 30 of the can body. Ordinarily, a sealant material is applied between rims 22 and 26 where indicated at 32 and the can end is dished somewhat so that ridge 38 is formed by rims 22 and 26, It will be found that most cans in use today are sealed in the manner indicated in FIGURE 8; this is ordinarily done by machines of a well-known design and no further description is believed necessary.

A can 20 is placed in association with the anvil member 12, the wedge member 14, the hammer member 16, and the rotator 18 by, in the embodiment of FIGURE 1, lifting upwardly on handle 36 to move anvil member upwardly, placing the ridge 38 of the can over the wedge member 14 and lowering handle 36 to bring the locking arm 40 of handle 36 past dead center and against pins 145 whereby the can is held in can-opening position. In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, an adjustably mounted roller 42 is provided for positioning in engagement with the lower ridge 38 of the can to help support same during the can-opening operation, after which it may be locked in such position by appropriately twisting thumb screw 44.

Crank shaft 46 is then rotated by an appropriate handle or motor, which reciprocates members 14 and 16 through eccentric shaft portions 50 and 52 (see FIGURE 13). Shaft 46 also actuates rotator member 18 through pin 54.

The sequence of the actual can-opening operations is best indicated in FIGURES 8 through 10, which show the anvil member 12 seated against ridge 38, the can having been lifted slightly off wedge member 14 by the positioning of roller 42. On actuation of the shaft 46 (assuming that wedge member 14 is at lower extremity of its withdrawal stroke), wedge member 14 initiates the can opening operation by being moved upwardly from the position of FIGURE 8 to the position of FIGURE 9 and thus enters between the doubled-over rims of the can and the outside surface of the can body. The wedge member 14 forms a pocket 49 within ridge 38, and in so doing, deflects the doubled-over rims laterally of the can body to approximately the position of FIGURE 9. The hammer member 16 is spaced to one side of wedge member 14, and when moved upwardly on its first stroke (when the can opening operation is first initiated), misses the deflected rims; continued initiation of shaft 46 effects operation of rotator 18 which rotates can 20 in the direction of the arrow of FIGURE 7 to a new position in which the deflected rims are aligned with the path of movement of the hammer member 16, Wedge member 14 again engages the rims and effects a further deflection thereof at a point spaced along the circumference of the can and then the hammer member rises to engage the outwardly protruding edge of the rims formed by the first deflection and flexes the rim 26 of the can closure upwardly and away from the rim 22 of the can body. During further operation of the device, the hammer member follows the wedge member in engaging the rims until the can lid is completely separated from the can. Thus, the hammer member engages the rim deflection defining a pocket 49 after the wedge member has withdrawn after forming the pocket and the can has been advanced to a new position by the rotator 18.

In practice, the hammer member 16 is given a slightly higher lift than the wedge member 14, the Wedge member 14 traveling approximately 4; inch and the hammer member traveling approximately 3 inch in a proven embodiment (one shoulder of the wedge member is slightly recessed for this reason in the embodiment of FIGURE 1). However, the movement may be equal or varied in accordance with different proportions, as may the actual length of movement, depending upon such factors as the seam height so long as the lid configuration of FIGURE 21 is obtained.

As indicated in FIGURE 3, the wedge member and the hammer member are shaped and positioned to operate adjacent each other along the ridge of the can though they are spaced sufliciently so that the hammer member engages a rim deflection made by the wedge member, and further, the hammer member engages the rim deflection defining a pocket 49 after the pocket has been formed and the can has been advanced by a single operation of rotator 18. The rotator member 18 turns the can by engaging the rim deflections (see FIGURE 7a) after they are formed by the wedge member to rotate the can to a new position wherein the newly formed pocket 49 is positioned in alignment with the path of operation of hammer member 16. Of course, rotator 18 is operated after members 14 and 16 have been withdrawn from the can ridge. The pin 54 that moves member 18 is fixed to shaft 46 in the illustrated embodiment, and, as viewed in FIGURE 7, member 18 rotates the can clockwise, when the shaft, as viewed in FIGURE 5, rotates in a counterclockwise direction. The rotator member 18 is then returned for engagement with the can ridge at an advanced point therealong by relatively strong tension spring 51 after which time wedge member 14 and hammer member 16 again complete another series of can-opening operations on the can. Relatively weak tension spring 53 is provided to insure that the rotator returns to its initial position, and eliminates the need for a fixed stop.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 16, the members 14a and 16a are integrally united, and are spaced so that the hammer member 16a will enter into an opening that is formed by Wedge member 14a; the other components of the embodiment of FIGURE 16 are essentially the same as those illustrated in FIGURE 1, except that shaft 46a needs only a single eccentric portion, such as portion 5211 (see FIGURE 16a), and the faces 17a of the members 19a and 16a should be either tangent to the curvature of the can (as shown) or curved to conform to the curvature of the can.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 18, the anvil member comprises an annular anvil member 12b rotatably secured to a fixed bracket 60. A can 20 is held against anvil member 12b by an appropriate compression spring 62, and wedge member 14b and hammer member 16b are actuated by a camming device 64 keyed to shaft 66 that is rotated through appropriate gear box '68 and shaft 70 by a motor or an appropriate handle. Lug 72 keyed to shaft 66 engages the anvil member 14b to rotate it as is necessary to turn the can with respect to members 14b and 16b.

It will thus be apparent that my can opener separates the can closure from the can body without requiring any penetration whatsoever of the can. It Will thus be seen that this eliminates the formation of metal fragments where they would fall into the food and precludes any of the operating parts of the device from coming into contact with the contents of the can. Moreover, the can closure cannot fall into the can and in fact is shaped (see FIGURES 1O, 20 and 21) so that it will serve as a removable sealing closure for the can.

Specific descriptioln Referring again to the can opener embodiment of FIGURE 1, the shaft 46 may be journalled in an appropriate bushing supported in any suitable manner, as by column 82 which includes an appropriate bracing platform 84 that may rest on a table or the like. The shaft 46 is received in a housing structure 86, which in the illustrated embodiment includes a lid 88 that holds members 14 and 16 in assembled relation. Pin or arm 54 is illustrated as a screw threaded member that is threaded into an appropriate bore 90 formed in shaft 46, suitable lock nuts or the like (not shown) being employed to maintain same in secured position. As pin 54 rotates with shaft 46, it engages curved arm 92 of member 18 to bring the latters arm 99 into engagement with the portion of can ridge 38 that has been deflected outwardly by the wedge member, and moves the can to a new position. Spring 51 acts on member 18 to cause it to then disengage the ridge of the can and return for another cycle in its operation.

Spring 51 is tensioned between pin 94 fixed to column 82 and the arm 99 of member 18, while spring 53 is tensioned between pin 96 (that is also fixed to column 82) and enlargement 97 of member 18, the tensions of the two springs being coordinated so that spring '51 will return arm 99 for its return stroke without pulling arm 92 out of the range of pin 54. The pin 54 and arm 92 may be proportioned and braced in any suitable manner to have the necessary rigidity to withstand the shocks that are to be applied against them, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The use of spring 53 rather than a fixed stop against which spring '51 would draw member 18, eliminates the possibility that arm 92 would be broken off in the event that shaft 46 is rotated in the wrong dlrection.

The hammer member 16 comprises a cam follower element 98 whichoperates in area 100 of housing 86 (see FIGURES l2 and 14). Cam follower 98 is formed with an internal cam surface 102 which cam portion 52 of shaft 46 cooperates with to raise and lower hammer member 16. The head 104 of the hammer member is fixed to the cam follower portion and is given approximately the configuration illustrated (see FIGURE 9a also) for performing the functions shown in FIGURES 9 and 10.

The wedge member 14 comprises a cam follower element 106 formed with an internal cam surface 108 with which cam portion 50 of shaft 46 cooperates with to reciprocate the wedge member 14. The cam fol-lower portion 106 is formed with a wedge-shaped head 110 that has approximately the configuration illustrated (see FIG- URE 9a also) for performing the functions shown in FIGURE 9.

The wedge member 14 operates in the area 112 of the housing 86 and'preferably cam follower portion 106 is of less thickness than the corresponding dimension of the area 112, appropriate spring steel spring member 114 (see FIGURE 15) being positioned in the area 112 to bias member 14 outwardly of the housing. This permits the head 110 to adjust itself to cans of different sizes and different wall thicknesses. Spring 114 is formed with an appropriate opening 115 to accommodate shaft 46.

In the illustrated embodiment, the shaft portion 50 leads the shaft portion 52 by 120 degrees and the pin 54 by between 250 and 300 degrees to permit the can to be rotated by member 18 while wedge head 110 and hammer head 104 are spaced from ridge 38. This timing may be varied as desired, depending upon the specific type of rotating device employed. Also, instead of the heads 104 and 110 being spaced so that head 104 engages the rim deflection defining a pocket 49 that has been formed by the previous stroke of head 110, the spacing may be greater so that several advancements of the can are required for a pocket 49 to reach the path of operation of hammer member 16, so long as the hamgrer engages rim deflections formed bythe wedge mem- Housing lid 88 may be secured to the housing by appropriate screws 123. Housing 86 as illustrated includes screw 120 that is poistioned within V-groove 122 formed in shaft '46 for purposes of securing shaft 46 against sliding movement. The screw 120 may carry a suitable lo k nut 124 for fixing its end within groove 122 without contacting shaft 46.

The anvil member 12 (see FIGURE 11a) Comprises gfiflerally ing-shaped member 130 that is received over the upper end of column 82 and secured to handle 36 by appropriate links 132 (see FIGURES l and 6) and PUB 133 on either side of the. handle, bracing sleeves 6 131 being received over pins 133 between the respective links 132 and projections 40 in the illustrated embodiment. The ring-shaped member is formed with an outwardly extending protuberance 134 which in cross section has the configuration indicated in FIGURES 8 through 10. This includes an internal shoulder 136 from which depends a projection 138. The shoulder 136 and projection 138 should be curved to generally conform to the curvature of cans that are to be opened by the opener. It is only essential that the shoulder 136 be formed to engage the top of can ridge 38 and it is not essential that extension 138 contact the planar portion of container closure 28. The curve of the shoulder 136 should be made to conform to the curvature of the smallest can that is to be opened by the opener. For instance, striking the curve on a radius of inch will permit the shoulder to properly engage the smallest can as well as larger sizes. The depth of the shoulder should be deep enough to accommodate all cans, but not so deep as to interfere with the operation of hammer member 16.

As mentioned above, handle 36 includes extensions 40 which are provided with cam surfaces 140 that engage annular surface 142 of the column cap 144. Cap 144 may be secured to column 82 in any suitable manner and handle 36 may be of any desired length.

Roller 42 may be journalled in any suitable manner on a pin or bar 146 that is carried by sleeve 147 in which thumb screw 44 is mounted. As illustrated, roller 42 is rotatably mounted on pin or bar 146 between washers 148 that are maintained in their positions by appropriate cotter pins 149. Roller 42 is provided with an appropriate groove 151 in its periphery for engaging the ridge 38 of can 20.

The heads 104a and 110a of the embodiment of FIG- URE l6 forming a part of hammer member 16a and wedge member 14a are integrally united on a single cam follower member which may be associated with an eccentric portion of a shaft that is similar to portion 52a of shaft 46a (see FIGURE 16a). A resilient member 152, similar in configuration to the spring 114, may be employed to bias heads 104a and 110a outwardly of the housing 86a if so desired.

As indicated in FIGURE 17, heads 104a and 110a should be spaced somewhat as indicated and the rotation so timed that head 104a enters into a recess that is formed by head 110a, and that can rotating member 18 performs its function after the heads 104a and 110a are withdrawn.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 18, the head member 16b comprises a cam follower which includes a depending extension 162 that rides on cam surface 164 of a cam body 166 that is keyed to shaft 66 as by an appropriate pin 168. Cam follower 160 may be formed with a slot 170 through which extends guide pin 172 carried by an appropriate support 174 fixed to bracket 60. Pin 172 insures that cam follower 160 reciprocates generally vertically.

Cam follower 160 carries a head 104b that is similar in configuration to head 104.

Wedge member 14b include the same components as hammer member 116b, but its cam follower portion is positioned at right angles to cam follower 160. Both the cam followers are provided with projections 182 that ride in cam groove 184 of cam member 166. This effects advance and return of members 14b and 16b.

The Wedge member 14b includes a head 1101) that is similar in configuration to head 110.

The rotator 186 of the embodiment of FIGURE 18 comprises a collar 190 (secured to shaft 66 as by pin 192) which is formed to retain lug 72 in an appropriate slot formed in shaft 66. .Lug 72 engages a ring 194 that is received about the anvil member 12b to rotate the anvil member 12b and the can; ring 194 may be formed from any appropriate Wear resistant material.

Anvil member 12b in the embodiment of FIGURE 18 takes the form of a dish-shaped element 200 which includes annular shoulder 1365, similar in cross section to shoulder 136; element 200at its center is provided with boss 202 to which is fixed'stub shaft 204-that'is journalle'd in the outwardly extending arm 296 of bracket 60. An appropriate collar 208 keyedto shaft'204 as by an appropriate pin 210 may be employed to secure anvil member 12b in operation position.

Shaft 66extends upwardly through bracket 60 and has keyedto theupwardly extending end thereof, a disc 212 which may be for-med'with a mark 214 that is positioned for alignment with mark 216 formed on bracket 60 when heads 1041) and 11015 are lowered sufficiently to position can ridge 38 against the shoulder 13617 of anvil 1212.

Spring 62 bears against an appropriate platform 220 on which a can 20 is placed for the can-opening operation. Spring 62 biases the can against shoulder 136b of anvil member 12b.

The platform 220 may be lowered against the-action of the spring 62 by graspingan appropriate handle 222 that is secured to platform 220 by an appropriate rod 224. Spring62 may be supported'in any suitable manner, as by the shelf 226 secured to gear box 68 or appropriate bracket 228. Rod 224' is preferably rotatably received through spring centering boss 230 in the embodiment of FIGURE 18 so that platform 220 may rotate with the-can.

Gear box- 68 may beof any conventional type and shaft 70'extending therefrom may be keyed to an appropriate handle or motor as desired. Bracket 228 may be secured to an appropriate upright structure of any type.

As already indicated, when marks 214 and 216 are aligned, the can 20 may be applied to the'anvil member and then platform 220 placed in supporting relation to the can. Shaft 66 is then rotated so that heads 1041i and 11012 perform the functions illustrated in FIGURES 8 through 10 and the can is rotated by rotating device 18b. After the can closure has been completely separated from the can, the marks 214 and 216 are again aligned and the can is removed. In this embodiment of the invention, the cam movement of the wedge andhammer members should be somewhat greater than in the other embodiments of the invention so that they can be lowered sufficiently to apply the can ridge against anvil member 121), and to remove the opened can, since more clearance is required to accommodate the laterally extending rim of the severed lid.

FIGURES 20 and 21'bring out the important relationship between the opened or removed can closure 28 and can body 24. It will be seen that the can closure is so formed during the opening operation that its plug fit within the container body is retained (see FIGURE 21). This plugfit is sufliciently tight to permit the detached closure to reseal the container. Thus, my invention contemplates the formation of a resealable container out of conventional cans.

Advantages of the invention As my can opener will'open canswithout piercing the can, the heretofore required cutting operation is eliminated'alon'g with the consequentformation of metal particles; Moreover, since the container is not punctured in any manner, the components of the can opener do not come into contact in any way with the contents of the can.

A further important feature of the invention is that the can is opened in such a manner that the lid'or closure rests on the end of the can body as indicated in FIGURE 10. It is immediately apparent that the lid cannot fall into the contents of the can after the can-opening operation is completed, which eliminates the need'formagnets and the like. Moreover, the lid after opening is automatically formed so that it may be used for reclosing the can by replacing the lid into its position of FIG- URES 10 and 21. This permitsthe use of the opened can as' a sealed storage container after the can has beenopened, as the lid, which is then provided'with the con- 8. figuration ofFIGURE' 10 entirely about its periphery (see FIGURE 20); is proportionedt'o make a relatively tight plug fit within the'can body. Thus, the cylindrical wall 235 of the lid sealingly engages the internal surfaces of the can without further forming the lid or addingfurthe-r components in addition to the can body or its lid. It may be added that the flange 240 of the can body has a relatively drip-free edge 250 as the edge tends to cut into any liquidlying over the edge, after pouring, as the can is moved from a pouring position to the position of FIGURE 20; the liquidon the surface 252 of flange 240 tends to return into the can.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 115 is adapted for use on cans of' all sizes and configurations' that" are made for home use, including cylindrical cans as well as relatively flat, quadrilateral or oval cans of the type that are employed to package sardines and the like. This embodiment is also applicable to larger cans' when the principal components thereof are suitably proportioned to handle them.

The embodiments of FIGURES 16 and 18 are adapted for use on cylindrical cans of substantially the same size, and would be more useful in instances where a large number of cans of the same size are to be opened.

My invention permits cans of the type designed and packed for use in hot food vending machines to be opened after being heated to as much as -degrees F., or after having been severely dented, without having the contents spew out of the'ca'n as soon as'th'e' internal pressure is released. The reason for this is that the wedge and hammer members merely break the seal where it is applied at 32, the plug fit of the'lid being maintained so that the pressure escapes slowly, though-the internal pressure is fully equallized with atmospheric pressure by the time the separation of the lid from the can is completed. Moreover, since the flange portion 237 of the lid overlies the can body even after the can opening operation is completed, any food or moisture escaping is directed downwardly by vertical wall 239-.

The opener rotators illustrated will= turn cylindrical oans about their longitudinal axes; oval and quadrilateral cans will be similarly rotated but not, strictly speaking, about acentercoin ciding with the central axis since the axis of rotation will change due to the shape of the can. However, the terminology employed in the claims is intended to cover both types of rotation.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to' explain and' illustrate myinvention and the invention is not to be limitedthereto,-except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have my disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and va'riations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A can opener forcans of the type having, at each end thereof, the rim of the can'closure overlying and extending beyond the rim ofthe can body and having said rims doubled over outwardly against the outer surface of the canbody with the rim of the closure being folded over the rim of the can body to form a ridge that projects outwardly from the end of the can in which ridge a portion of the closure rim is interposed between the can body and the can body rim, said can opener comprising a support structure adapted to form the frame of the can opener, an anvil'member secured to said support structure andcoinpn's'ing an upper depending rigid projecting element defining an internal shoulder positioned thereonand-proportioned to engage the outwardly projecting edge of said can ridge on the top end of a can positioned in upright position below same, means for securing said shoulder of said anvil member against said edge of said can ridge including means for supporting the can in said upright position under said projecting element, said projecting element being. proportioned to extend short of said can end when said shoulder engages said can ridge edge, a wedge member and a hammer member reciprocably carried by said support structure and mounted for movement in vertical planes substantially parallel to the plane of said projecting element and to the central axis of the can body when a can is supported in said upright position, said planes being disposed adjacent to and exteriorly of the body of the can when the latter is disposed in said upright position, said wedge member being formed with a wedge shaped upwardly projecting end portion projecting toward said shoulder that terminates in a substantially convexly curved wedge tip and thereby is proportioned to enter between the doubled over portions of said rims and the can body and on movement toward said shoulder, to deflect the doubled over portions of said rims laterally outwardly of the body to form a pocket between said rims and the can body said hammer member being formed with a blunt head portion projecting toward said shoulder that is positioned laterally outwardly of said end portion of said wedge member a distance corresponding to the width of said pocket laterally of the can body, whereby said head portion is positioned to engage the 'outwardly projecting edge of the deflected rim portions on movement of said hammer member toward said shoulder to flex the closure rim away from the can body rim, said head portion at the edge thereof adjacent the plane of said projecting element defining a rounded corner, said corner engaging the edge of said deflected rim portions in moving toward said shoulder, said hammer member having a path of movement that vertically exceeds that of said wedge member the amount required to raise said rims laterally of the cam and further move said closure rim toward separation of same from the body rim, said head portion of said hammer member being spaced from said end portion of said wedge member circumferentially of the can ridge against which said member shoulder engages, means for reciprocating said wedge and hammer members in their respective planes, and means for consecutively presenting pockets formed by said wedge member to the plane of movement of said hammer member as further pockets are formed by said wedge member whereby the closure is separated from the can body by uncoupling the closure from the can body.

2. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein said anvil member is mounted for adjusting movement toward and away from said wedge and hammer members, and including means for releasably locking said anvil member against the can top end.

3. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein said anvil member is rotatably mounted, and including means for biasing the can body against the anvil member, and indexing means associated with said means for reciprocating said wedge and hammer members for indicating when said wedge and hammer members are spaced from said anvil member.

4. The can opener set forth in claim 1 including a shaft rotatably carried by said support structure, said means for reciprocating said wedge and hammer members comprising cam means interposed between said shaft and said wedge and hammer members, and means for rotating said shaft.

5. The can opener set forth in claim 2 wherein said wedge member and said hammer member comprise separate reciprocating elements, said cam means reciprocating said wedge and hammer members in a time sequence required to position said end portion and head portions thereof away from the can rims of the said can ridge during operation of said pocket presenting means.

6. The can opener set forth in claim 2 wherein said wedge member and said hammer member are integrally united as a single reciprocating element.

7. A can opener for cans of the type having, at each end thereof, the rim of the can closure overlying and extending beyond the rim of the can body and having said rims doubled over outwardly against the outer surface of the can body with the rim of the closure being folded over the rim of the can body to form a ridge that projects outwardly from the end of the can in which ridge a portion of the closure rim is interposed between the can body and the can body rim, said can opener comprising means for supporting the can in an upright can opening position, an anvil member comprising a depending projecting rigid element defining an internal shoulder positioned and proportioned to engage the outwardly projecting edge of the can ridge on the top end of a can when the can is positioned in said can opening position, said rigid element being proportioned to be spaced from said can end when the can is disposed in said can opening position, a wedge member and a hammer member reciprocably mounted below said shoulder for up and down movement in substantially parallel paths of movement toward and away from said anvil member, with the path of movement of said wedge member being substantially aligned with said shoulder, said wedge member being formed with a wedge shaped upwardly directed end portion projecting toward said shoulder that terminates in a substantially convexly curved upwardly directed Wedge tip proportioned to enter between the doubled over portions of said can rims and the can body to form a pocket between said can rims and said can body when moved toward said anvil member shoulder, when the can is in said can opening position, by deflecting the doubled over portions of the can rims laterally outwardly of the can body, said hammer member including a blunt head portion having a rounded corner opposing said rigid element, the path of movement of which is laterally outwardly of the path of movement of said wedge member, with respect to said shoulder, a distance corresponding to the width of the pocket that is formed by reciprocation of said Wedge member when the can is in said can opening position, said path of movement of said hammer member head portion being laterally outwardly of said shoulder a sufficient distance to accommodate between said shoulder and said hammer member head portion said rims of the can body and closure means for reciprocating said wedge and hammer members in their respective paths of movement, including means for making the path of movement of said hammer member vertically exceed that of said wedge member the amount required to bring said hammer member rounded corner into engagement with and move said rims laterally of the can body and further move said closure rim to separate same from the body rim when the can is in said can opening position, and means for consecutively presenting pockets formed in the can by said wedge member, when the can is in said can opening position, to the path of movement of said hammer member rounded corner as further pockets are formed by said wedge member whereby the closure is separated from the can body by uncoupling the closure from the can body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,319,395 Huddleston Oct. 21, 1919 1,974,671 Egan Sept. 25, 1934 2,169,346 Lloyd Aug. 15, 1939 2,334,407 Grebe Nov. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3.0065303 Claude A. Young It is hereby certified that error appears in the aboire numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 9, line 17, for "body said" read body said line 32, for "cam" read can Signed and sealed this 10th day of April 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents October 31, 196. 

